101 Stocking Stuffers for Men Who Love Travel (UPDATED NOV. 2016)

Christmas Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas for Men

Well, it’s that time of year again. You know, Santa, sleigh, reindeer. And Christmas shopping. Oh the Christmas shopping. In an effort to ease the pain of shopping for the man on your Christmas list (because everyone says that men are hard to shop for), I’ve compiled a holiday gift guide of 101 Stocking Stuffers for Men Who Love Travel. I tried to find unique, useful, fun, and inexpensive gift ideas wherever possible.

So why only stocking stuffers you say? Many holiday gift guides only concentrate on the big-ticket item gifts (the iPads, the Kindles, the pricey travel gear), and since many long-term travellers are also budget travellers, it makes more sense to do a list of compact, portable, and inexpensive, but still useful, Christmas gifts. Most gifts are under $50, with the bulk of stocking stuffers under $20, and even a fair amount under 5 bucks. And although this gift guide is geared toward men, many of the gift ideas on this list are suitable for women as well.

So here goes.

101 Stocking Stuffers for Men Who Love Travel

(Updated November 2016)

1. Anti-Kidnapping Band

Suitable for any man on the lam in a high risk area, the The Anti-Kidnapping Band is designed to allow you to carry escape tools in your watch band. It’s a wearable insurance policy for military personnel, foreign aid workers, and journalists in conflict zones, as well as for travellers in countries with a high risk of kidnapping for ransom.

The Tactical Anti-Kidnapping Band allows the wearer to escape from rope, duct tape, zip ties, and handcuffs. How cool is that? Check out their website to see how it’s done.

2. Wine Condoms

Yes, you read that correctly. Funded through a Kickstarter campaign, these are contraceptives designed for wine bottles. Works on beer bottles too. They form a snug leak-proof seal over almost any bottle to keep your drink for later. Note: not to be used for sexual activity. Although extended consumption of wine may well lead things in that direction.

3. Personalized Bottle Opener/Corkscrew

Hatch.co curates a number of hand-crafted artisanal items, all of which can be personalized and customized so the end result is always utterly unique. My fave was this personalized wooden bottle opener/corkscrew from designer Matt McCoy.

4. Survival Kit

If you’re in the market for a fire starter, fishing line, fishing hooks, tin foil, a knife, carabiner, wire, and more wrapped in a cord capable of hauling 500 pounds, then look no further then this Survival Kit from The Friendly Swede. Definitely a welcome gift for any man who travels.

Price: $14.99

Where to Buy: Survival Kit

5. Travel Mirror

For less than 10 bucks, the fog-free Shave Well Travel Mirror makes an excellent cheap stocking stuffer for men. It’s thin, unbreakable and portable. Plus it easily stuffs into a carry-on or backpack, and takes up relatively little space.

6. Camera Lens Thermos/Mug

Another stocking stuffer under 10 bucks, this is pretty much the coolest looking travel mug I’ve seen. It’s made of stainless steel with a rubber grip, and well, it keeps your coffee warm. Not a real camera lens though, but how cool would that be?

8. Compression Socks

Although I’ve always thought of Deep Vein Thrombosis as something made up — along the lines of Narnia or Sasquatch — a friend of mine spent 5 days in hospital from a blood clot due to sitting too long on a road trip, so it’s caused me to rethink my position. Apparently compression socks can actually save your life. If you’re looking for men’s compression socks (or even women’s) that don’t look too Grandma-ish, check out the stylish lineup from a company called Vim & Vigr.

9. Bed Bug Spray

Perhaps not one of the sexiest stocking stuffers out there, but if you’ve ever encountered bed bugs on your travels then you know that this one can be useful. This travel-sized bed bug spray is non-toxic and safe around humans and pets.

10. Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer

If you’re buying for a germaphobe who’s anal about his teeth, then this might be what the doctored ordered. The UV light rids any toothbrush of germs in six minutes. It’s battery operated and portable for any germ-fearing man on the go.

11. Base Wash Travel Gel

Designed specifically for washing base layers and other quick-dry travel clothes, this gel in a tube is VERY concentrated, so you’ll only need a dab to hand wash a load in a sink. It’s TSA compliant too.

12. Carry-On Tech Sleeve

I have one of these and love it to bits. I can fit my iPod, iPhone, Android phone and portable power charger in it, plus hide all the messy cords on the inside. It’s sleek and compact, and fits perfectly in the laptop compartment of my backpack (with still room in there for my laptop.) A perfect stocking filler for the techie traveller. Available in black as well.

13. Decibullz Contour Earphones

Cancel out the noise while traveling with these contoured earphones. What makes them unique is that they can be easily custom fitted to prevent falling off — you heat up the earphones before use so they mold into the shape of your ear canal. The perfect fit reduces ear soreness common with other earphones. The Decibullz Contour earphones make a superb Christmas present for men with an ear for music. Definitely the best fitting earphones I’ve ever owned.

15. Boingo

For the fifth year in a row, Boingo was named “Best Wi-Fi Service” in Global Traveler’s 11th Annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards. I’ve had a Boingo account for a couple of years now, and love the fact that I get access to thousands of hotspots worldwide, and not just at airports either. Subscriptions start at only $4.98 for the first month and make a great (and original) stocking stuffer for guys on the go. There’s even a Boingo app for smartphones and tablets to make it easier to connect.

16. Clever Travel Companion

When I first heard of these underwear with built-in pockets, I was expecting something akin to grannie panties. I’m happy to report they are sleek and sexy and get this – even quite useful. Designed to thwart pickpockets, these underwear for men and women make a great Christmas stocking stuffer idea. Sizes tend to fit snugly, so order a size larger then you think you need.

Price: $29.90 (Note: some sizes and styles currently on sale for $14.95)

17. Wood Underwear

Okay so if pockets won’t go over well, but you’re still in the market for men’s travel underwear, I really like the lineup from Wood Underwear. They’re moisture wicking, microbial, and feel pretty amazing. The camo version hides any, ummm, dirt. Plus what man doesn’t like to get underwear for Christmas?

18. Smartphone Projector

Ever have to sit through a slideshow of your grandparent’s vacation? Well this is throwback to that age with a definitely modern bent — a projector that magnifies smartphone images to 10x their size. It’s pretty low-tech, and also low cost. At just 27 bucks, it works with any iPhone, Android, or Windows device and makes this one of the more unique inexpensive stocking stuffers for men, or just about anyone who loves to show off their travel photos.

19. Xero Shoes

Okay they’re not really shoes, they’re sandals, and they probably won’t fit in any stocking, but they’re still a pretty sweet Christmas gift idea for men.

Billed as “The most comfortable, versatile sandals your feet will ever love,” Xero Shoes are lightweight (only 4.5 ounces) and take up almost no space. They slip on and off at airports, and they’re strong enough to handle a day on the beach, a workout in the gym, a hike in the woods, or even a 100-mile ultramarathon through the jungles of Costa Rica.

Bloody hell thats an extensive list!!! I was only expecting 10-15 gift ideas ha, been reading through these for for past hour! I love that escape kit, I went onto the site and watched the video of the guy cutting through the tie wrap – So cool! I like the little globe keychain too – I like any little travel mementos like that and I love looking at maps.

Wow! An awesome list. Some great ideas here.
I love that you included the Lifestraw, a great local (to me) company doing awesome things for people without access to clean water, while also providing options for travellers. And I especially love that everything here is so affordable!
Thanks.

Very impressive list, Raymond. Women always struggle getting the right gift to men and because they love clothing, they tend to believe that men like them too. I particularly like the escape watch, but there are many other useful gifts on your list.

So, I bought the Go Pro kit. Well not that exact one because Amazon wouldn’t deliver it to Australia. But I shopped around and found one in Australia that was nearly as cheap. I couldn’t believe the price. But in reference to the question about quality further up the comments, it is the exact same case that is readily available in retail outlets here for more money and without all the extra bits. So, definitely value for money in my mind. I’m revisiting the list as there are so many great ideas here. Thanks again.

Jeeez Raymond, that is a long list! I am guessing the manly man with fresh balls is not really needing the escape band, because with a backpack stuffed with all these items he is not going to want to travel very far anymore… 😉

Yeah I love that camera lens thermos too. In my defense, I did mention at the top of the post that women who travel would find most of these gifts useful too. Just didn’t want to name it Stocking Stuffers for All Travellers when stuff like Fresh Balls was on there. 🙂

Really really wonderful things you mention in post. Love all the things. i like most Cufflinks, Bluetooth Speakers and Goateesaver for my self. Thanks for the sharing this nice post with us. very perfect things for giving a gift on Christmas.